East Carolina University
UCLA
ECU Drops Heartbreaker To No. 15 UCLA, 9-7
February 17, 2007 | Baseball
Feb. 17, 2007
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Brandon Crawford's grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning secured a series win for the 15th ranked UCLA Bruins as they defeated East Carolina 9-7 Saturday afternoon inside Jackie Robinson Stadium.
In a game that saw the lead change hands seven different times on the day, UCLA (5-4) trailing by two, 7-5, heading into the bottom of the eighth, got some clutch hitting from All-American shortstop Crawford. After Mickey Wiesser and Eddie Murray drew consecutive walks off of ECU (2-3) reliever Shane Mathews, Alden Carrithers loaded the bases with a single to center setting up the dramatic finish for the Bruins.
Brant Rustich picked up the win for the Bruins working 2/3's of an inning allowing two runs on two hits with two walks. Garett Claypool picked up his first save of the year retiring the Pirates in a 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the ninth.
UCLA starter Brendan Lafferty lasted just four innings surrendering three runs on six hits before giving way to Jason Novak. Alongside of Novak, Paul Schmidt and Kevin Brophy worked 3 1/3 innings giving up two runs on two hits and striking out three.
For the Pirates, starter Dustin Sasser pitched a strong 5 2/3 innings allowing three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. ECU's bullpen, which has been lights out on the young season, gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings, as the Bruins picked up a pair on Josh Ruhlman and four on Mathews. Brett Butts and Mike Flye each were perfect in their appearances.
In the top of the second inning, ECU jumped on the board when Stephen Batts placed a shot down the left field line that hopped over the bag scoring Corey Kemp from second. Kemp, who was making his first start at third base, picked up a double to center field to start the inning.
UCLA answered in the bottom half of the second frame when Cody Decker sent a Sasser pitch over the left field wall to put the Bruins up 2-1. Casey Haerther had singled up the middle to lead off the inning.
The Pirates threaten in the top of the third when Harrison Eldridge singled to left field and advanced to second on a Lafferty wild pitch. Dale Mollenhauer pushed Eldridge to third on a ground out to second, but Eldridge was left stranded when Brandon Henderson flied out to center and Ryan Tousley grounded out to second to close out the frame.
ECU knotted the game at two in the top of the fifth on Lafferty's throwing error that went over the first baseman's (Tim Stewart) head. After David Forbes and Eldridge each reached base after being hit by a Lafferty pitch, Mollenhauer placed a bunt down the third base line and Forbes crossed the plate on the throwing error. Henderson gave ECU a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly to center that plated Eldridge.
Crawford tied the game at three for after he scored on a Sasser wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth. He led off the inning with a walk, advanced to third on Stewart's single to left and a Pirate throwing error before crossing home.
Eldridge put the Pirates back on top 4-3 in the top of the seventh when he laced a laser shot to center field that fell in front of a diving Tim Murphy for an inside the park home run, the first of the season.
UCLA went back on top 5-4 after plating two runs in the seventh inning. Carrithers, who walked to start the frame, scored on Crawford's double to left and then Cohen drove in Crawford with another double, this time to center for a one-run lead.
Trailing by one in the eighth inning, ECU scored three runs to take a 7-5 lead. Senior Jake Dean's pinch-hit single to left once again tied the game, 5-5, when Jamie Ray crossed home. Mollenhauer extended the Pirate lead by two when he drove in Mark Letchworth and Forbes on his single to left.
The two will meet again in the series finale Sunday afternoon with a 4 p.m. (EST) first pitch scheduled. ECU will send lefty Jeff Ostrander to the mound, while UCLA will turn to freshman Gavin Brooks.
